Improvement in ditching-machines



ELIAS H. LANCASTER AND HIRAM TEWKSBURY, OF MONTPELIER, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN DlTCHlNG-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 185.337, dated December12, 1876 application filed August 29, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ELIAS H. LANCASTER and HIRAM TEWKSBURY, ofMontpelier, in the county of Blackforcl and in the State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ditching-Machines;and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsand to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of thisspecification.

The nature of our invention consists in the construction and arrangementof a ditchingmachine, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which our inventionappertains to make and use the same, we will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in whichFigure 1 is a plan view of our ditchingmachine. 'Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section of the same on the line or w of Fig. 1. Fig. 3shows a part of the elevator.

Arepresents asuitable frame-work attached to the rear axle B and coupledto the front axle O, forming the wagon, under which the ditcher runs. Dis the beam of the ditcher, which is not attached to the wagon except bythe draft-chain a, hooked to a clevis, b, at the front end of the beam.This clevis has a series of holes, as shown, so that the chain can behooked high or low, as desired, the chain passing from the clevis arounda pulley, d, under the front axle G, and up to a Windlass, G, arrangedin the frame A under the front seat E. The beam is further suspended bya cord or chain, e,running upward to another Windlass, G, in thewagon-frame A, which elevates the plow or ditcher and carries it whennot ditchmg.

The two windlasses G G are provided, respectively, with theoperating-levers H H: and suitable pawls and ratchets for turning thesame and holding them in place.

I is the plow attached to the rear part of the beam D,and J istheelevator belt orapron, The pulley f in the plow, around which theelevators run, is not attached to the plow, therefore the plow orditcher will play up and down free, any depth or height desired; and,

as the plow or ditcher passes down in the ditch, it is caused to fallback each round by relaxing the draft-chain in front, in order that theelevators may keep their proper positions in the plow when the ditcheris down in the ditch.

Attached to the beam D near the ends are four upright stays, K, whichextend up between braced stays L attached to the frame or wagonA,steadying the ditcher. The stays K may be of sufficient length to suitany depth of ditch.

Under the beam D is pivoted a bar, M, carrying the roller N, and thisbar is, by a toggle joint, h it, connected withan uprightlever, 0,having a pin, 6, through its lower end, which works under staples 7cfastened on the top of the beam D. This upright lever O is used to raiseor lower the wheel or roller N which governs the depth of theplow. Whenthe lever is perpendicular the plow is out and, by the use of thislever, the plow may be thrown out or in instantaneously, giving anydepth de sired, in order to level the ditch to suit the team.

' P is an upright perforated bar, resting on a spring, m, attached tothe top of the beam, and

runs up through and is fastened to a lever, 1%,

attached to the wagon. The spring m is put in use by said bar I? andlever B to cause the plow or ditcher to run steady. This upright barwith holes is to be of sufficient length to follow the plow or ditcherdown any depth desired, by hitching the lever upon it every cut orround.

19 is the coupling-rod, running through the front axle, and is held inposition by a temperscrew, n, in the cross-piece above the axle. On thelower end of this rod the pulley d is attached for the draft-chain a torun around; and a rod or chain, 1', is also connected to the lower endof said coupling-rod, and runs forward, hooking on or near the hammer inthe tongue. This rod or chain is to be hooked back and lengthened eachcut or round, in order that the draft-chain may be lowered at thehitching-point as the ditcherlowers in the ditch.

Underneath the elevator-belt is a small buckle-chain, 8, attached to thebelt, which chain runs over small cogs t on a-pulley, S,

whereby the elevator-belt may run slack, and,

yet not slip on said pulley. On each edge of the belt are vertical sidesor edges 1;,forming a trough to hold'dirt and keep it from falling off.These edges or sides are made in short joints of sheet-iron, andattached to the belt by cross-bars and elevators traveling with thebelt, the joints lapping each other. The elevators w to consist simplyof cross-bars of suitable depth, as the belt is extended back of thewagon and does not run steep.

The earth elevated-by the elevators passes over the pulley S andfalls'on the slide T, conducting the dirt close to the side of theditch, the dirt falling on one side of the ditch, passing one way, and,while passingthe other way,

it falls on the other side of the ditch.

Attached to the hub of one of the wagonwheels is a cog-wheel, V, whichmeshes with another wheel, 'W, on a shaft, X. On this shaft is a pulley,Y, from which a chain or belt, 00, runs to a pulley, g, on the sameshaft as the elevator-pulley S.

The shaft X has its outer bearing in a lever, Z, by means of which itcan be moved so as to throw the cog-wheel W out of gear with the wheelV, and thus stop the elevator.

To the sides of the beam D in front of the plow I are attached cutters Afor cutting the sides of the ditch. The plow is provided with sides I,which run up and are attached to the beam back of the lower-end pulleyof the elevator, and prevent any earth or mud from choking the sides ofthe ditch, helping the earth on the elevator. The cutters and plow beingthe widest, allows of the ditch being cut on a circle. To cut a squareturn, the ditcher must be elevated out of the ditch and turned and letdown again.

Having thus fully described our invention, what We claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a wagon, A, of the ditcher-beam D, with itsfront end supported by the adjustable roller N, draft-chain beam D, theupright stays K K attached thereto, and the stays L L attached to thewagonframe, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

4. The combination of the ditcher-beam D, bar M, roller N, toggle-jointh h, lever O, with pin 1: and staple is, substantially as and for thepurposes herein set forth.

5. The combination, with the wagon-frame A and front axle O, of thecoupling-rod 1), setscrew n, draft-chain pulley d, and rod or chain 1',as and for the purposes herein set forth.

6. The ditching-plow I, provided with the sides I, constructed asdescribed, in combination with the elevator J, haviugits lower pul- -leyf placed loosely Within the plow to allow the elevator to adjust itselfto the movement of the plow, substantially as and for the purposesherein set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our handsthis 10th day of July, 1876.

ELIAS H. LANCASTER. HIRAM TEWKSBURY.

Witnesses:

R. G. SWANN, G. H. BENNETT.

